Clothes treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

(EN) Disclosed is a clothes treatment apparatus ( 100 ) including a cabinet ( 1 ) having an opening ( 11 ), a tub ( 2 ) having a tub through-hole ( 27 ) and a tub aperture ( 21 ) communicating with the opening ( 11 ), a drum ( 3 ) rotatably installed within the tub ( 2 ) and configured to store laundry therein, the drum ( 3 ) having a drum aperture communicating with the tub aperture ( 21 ), a drive unit ( 6 ) having a rotating shaft ( 65 ) inserted into the tub through-hole ( 27 ) to thereby be connected to the drum ( 3 ), the rotating shaft ( 65 ) being movable in a radial direction inside the tub through-hole ( 27 ), and a drive unit support device ( 71, 74 , R, L) configured to support the drive unit ( 6 ) such that the drive unit ( 6 ) is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub ( 2 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a clothes treatment apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional clothes treatment apparatus includes a cabinet defining an external appearance of the apparatus, a tub placed within the cabinet, a drum rotatably installed within the tub to wash laundry, and a motor, a rotating shaft of which penetrates the tub and is coupled to the drum to rotate the drum.

The tub is supported within the cabinet using springs and dampers. The springs connect an inner ceiling surface of the cabinet and an upper end of the tub to each other, and the dampers connect an inner bottom surface of the cabinet and a lower end of the tub to each other.

In particular, the dampers are coupled to both sides of the lower end of the tub via hinges, which reduces vibration that would otherwise be transmitted to the tub during rotation of the drum.

More specifically, each damper includes a circular cylinder connected to either side of the lower end of the tub via the hinge, a cylindrical piston connected to the bottom surface of the cabinet via a hinge, the piston being movably inserted into the cylinder, and a damping pad attached to an outer circumferential surface of the piston so as to come into frictional contact with an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder.

However, the conventional clothes treatment apparatus is limited as to reduction of vibration despite installation of the dampers.

That is, the conventional clothes treatment apparatus is configured in such a manner that vibration generated by the drum and the motor is transmitted to the tub during rotation of the drum because the rotating shaft of the motor fixed to a rear surface of the tub penetrates the rear surface of the tub and is supported by a bearing fixed to the tub. The vibration transmitted to the tub may be transmitted to the cabinet, although such vibration is reduced by the dampers and the springs. Vibration of the tub and vibration of the cabinet caused by rotation of the drum may be further increased if the drum is rotated in an unbalanced state in which dynamic balance of the drum is broken.

Dynamic balance refers to a state in which centrifugal force or centrifugal moment becomes zero about a rotating shaft during rotation of a rotator. In the case of a rigid body, dynamic balance is maintained if mass distribution about a rotating shaft is constant.

Accordingly, in the clothes treatment apparatus, dynamic balance may be understood as the case in which, when the drum in which laundry is accommodated is rotated, mass distribution of the laundry about the rotating shaft of the drum is within an allowable range (i.e. understood as the case in which the drum is rotated and vibrated within an allowable vibration range).

On the other hand, in the clothes treatment apparatus, a state in which dynamic balance is broken (i.e. an unbalanced state) is a state in which mass distribution of the laundry about the rotating shaft of the drum is not constant during rotation of the drum, which occurs when the laundry is not uniformly distributed within the drum.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

One object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus, which may reduce vibration and noise generated during rotation of a drum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus in which a bearing housing, by which a drive unit used to rotate a drum is supported, levitates by magnetic force at the outside of a tub, which may allow the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus in which a drum levitates within a tub by magnetic force, which may reduce noise and vibration that would otherwise be transmitted to the tub during rotation of the drum.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus, which may maximize the volume of a tub placed within a cabinet that provides a limited space.

Technical Solution

The object of the present invention can be achieved by providing a clothes treatment apparatus including a cabinet having an opening for insertion or removal of laundry, a tub having a tub aperture perforated in a front surface of the tub to communicate with the opening and a tub through-hole perforated in a rear surface of the tub, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum being configured to store laundry therein and having a drum aperture communicating with the tub aperture, a drive unit having a rotating shaft inserted into the tub through-hole to thereby be connected to the drum, the rotating shaft being movable in a radial direction inside the tub through-hole, and a drive unit support device configured to support the drive unit such that the drive unit is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub.

The drive unit support device may support the drive unit using at least any one of attractive force or repulsive force between magnetic units, thereby allowing the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub.

The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, a housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated, a first magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, and a second magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space to exert repulsive force to the first magnetic unit.

The bearing housing may have a cylindrical shape, the accommodation space may have a cylindrical shape such that the bearing housing is accommodated in the accommodation space, the first magnetic unit may include a bar-shaped permanent magnet provided at the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, and the second magnetic unit may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance at the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a first magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, the first magnetic force amplification unit being configured to support the first magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the first magnetic unit, and a second magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space, the second magnetic force amplification unit being configured to support the second magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the second magnetic unit.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a vibration attenuation unit fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space, the vibration attenuation unit being configured to elastically support the second magnetic unit and the second magnetic force amplification unit.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing, and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit.

The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, a housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated, a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing, a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing along the circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to the center of the housing through-hole, and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub along the circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to the center of the tub through-hole, to exert repulsive force to the third magnetic unit.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a magnetic bearing configured to rotatably support the rotating shaft inside the housing through-hole using repulsive force between the magnetic units, and the magnetic bearing may include a rotating shaft magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, and a housing magnetic unit inserted in the housing through-hole to exert repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit.

The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing, a circumferential support structure provided within the tub to allow the drum in being moved in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force between the magnetic units, and an axial support structure provided at the outside of the tub to allow the bearing housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub via attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units.

The circumferential support structure may include a first magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface of the tub, and a second magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the drum so as to receive repulsive force from the first magnetic unit.

The axial support structure may include a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing, a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing, and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a housing receptacle spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by a predetermined distance, the housing receptacle providing a space in which the bearing housing is accommodated, and the spacer may include a first spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the rear surface of the tub, and a second spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the housing receptacle.

The bearing housing may include a housing body spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by a predetermined distance such that the spacer is fixed to the housing body, and a housing through-hole perforated in the housing body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the housing through-hole, and the drive unit may include a stator fixed to the housing body and a rotor, to which the rotating shaft is coupled, the rotor being rotated by electromagnetic interaction with the stator.

The drive unit support device may further include a magnetic force amplification unit configured to increase attractive force between the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit, and the magnetic force amplification unit may include a metal provided at the bearing housing such that the third magnetic unit is fixed to the metal, and a metal provided at the rear surface of the tub such that the fourth magnetic unit is fixed to the metal.

Any one of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit may include a ring-shaped permanent magnet, and the other one of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance so as to define the same circumference as a circumference of the ring-shaped permanent magnet.

The drive unit support device may include a circumferential support structure provided within the tub to allow the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force between magnetic units, and a slider unit provided at the outside of the tub to couple the bearing housing, to which the drive unit is fixed, to the rear surface of the tub while allowing the bearing housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub.

The slider unit may include a slider body provided between the bearing housing and the rear surface of the tub, a body through-hole perforated in the slider body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the body through-hole, a diameter of the body through-hole being greater than a diameter of the rotating shaft, a first guider configured to couple the slider body to the rear surface of the tub such that the slider body is reciprocally movable in any one direction of a width direction and a height direction of the tub, and a second guider configured to couple the bearing housing to the slider body such that the bearing housing is reciprocally movable in the other direction of the width direction and the height direction of the tub.

The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a rear gasket configured to connect the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing to each other.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a clothes treatment apparatus, which may reduce vibration and noise generated during rotation of a drum.

Further, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to allow a bearing housing, by which a drive unit used to rotate the drum is supported, to levitate by magnetic force at the outside of a tub, which may allow the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub.

Furthermore, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention, as a result of levitating the drum within the tub by magnetic force, it is possible to reduce noise and vibration that would otherwise be transmitted to the tub during rotation of the drum.

In addition, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to maximize the volume of the tub placed within a cabinet that provides a limited space.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view showing one example of a clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a drive unit support device provided in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views showing a configuration of a circumferential support structure included in the drive unit support device;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the magnitude of force (repulsive force and attractive force) applied to a bearing housing by an axial support structure as well as the circumferential support structure included in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 8 to 10 are views showing a magnetic bearing;

FIGS. 11, 12, and 16 are views showing another embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 13 to 15 are views showing a configuration of a circumferential support structure shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 17 is a view showing a drive unit support device shown in FIGS. 11; and

FIGS. 18 to 20 are views showing a slider unit.

BEST MODE

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Note that a configuration and a control method of an apparatus that will be described hereinafter are given only to explain the embodiments of the present invention and the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the following description. The same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 shows a clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention. The clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the present invention includes a cabinet 1 defining an external appearance of the apparatus 100, a tub 2 placed within the cabinet 1, the tub 2 being configured to store wash water therein, a drum 3 rotatably installed within the tub 2, and a drive unit 6 to rotate the drum 3.

The cabinet 1 has an opening 11, through which laundry is inserted into the drum 3 or removed from the drum 3. The opening 11 is opened or closed by a door 13.

The tub 2 takes the form of an empty cylinder. The tub 2 has a tub aperture 21 perforated in one surface thereof (i.e. a front surface of the tub 2) to communicate with the opening 11 and a tub through-hole 27 perforated in a rear surface thereof (i.e. a surface of the tub 2 opposite to the front surface of the tub 2).

More specifically, the tub aperture 21 of the cylindrical tub 2 is perforated in a surface of the tub 2 facing the door 13 for insertion/removal of laundry, and the tub through-hole 27 of the cylindrical tub 2 is perforated in the rear surface of the tub 2 such that a rotating shaft 65 of the drive unit 6 is inserted into the tub through-hole 27, the diameter of the tub through-hole 27 being greater than the diameter of the rotating shaft 65.

The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 may be set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 from colliding with the tub through-hole 27 even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3 (i.e. a displacement to cause an outer circumferential surface of the drum 3 to come into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the tub 2) occurs.

Likewise, the drum 3 may take the form of an empty cylinder. The drum 3 has a drum aperture 31 perforated in a front surface thereof to communicate with the tub aperture 21. As such, a user may insert laundry into the drum 3 or discharge the laundry accommodated in the drum 3 to the outside of the cabinet 1 via opening or closing of the door 13.

The drum 3 has a plurality of drum through-holes 35 perforated in a. circumferential wall thereof. Accordingly, wash water inside the tub 2 may move into the drum 3 through the drum through-holes 35, and wash water inside the drum 3 may move from the interior of the drum 3 into the tub 2 through the drum through-holes 35.

In the case in which the clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the present invention serves to wash laundry, the tub 2 is configured to store wash water. However, in the case in which the clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the present invention serves only to dry laundry, the tub 2 may be omitted, or may not be configured to store wash water.

The tub 2 may be fixed within the cabinet 1 using a tub support device 4. The tub support device 4 may be configured to support the tub 2 using repulsive force that is one example of magnetic force.

More specifically, the tub support device 4 according to the present invention may include an upper unit 42; 43; 44 having any one magnetic pole among an N-pole and an S-pole, and a lower unit 45; 46; 47 having a magnetic pole equal to the magnetic pole of the upper unit 42; 43; 44, and a cylinder 41 in which the upper unit 42; 43; 44 and the lower unit 45; 46; 47 are accommodated.

The upper unit includes an upper piston 42 placed within the cylinder 41, an upper rod 43, one end of which is coupled to the tub 2 and the other end of which is coupled to the upper piston 42, and an upper coil 44 wound on the upper piston 42 or the upper rod 43 and placed within the cylinder 41, the upper coil 44 serving as a component for magnetization of the upper piston 42 when current is supplied thereto.

The lower unit includes a lower piston 45 placed within the cylinder 41 so as to face the upper piston 42, a lower rod 46, one end of which is coupled to the cabinet 1 and the other end of which is coupled to the lower piston 45, and a lower coil 47 wound on the lower piston 45 or the lower rod 46 and placed within the cylinder 41, the lower coil 47 serving as a component for magnetization of the lower piston 45 upon receiving current.

In this case, the upper coil 44 and the lower coil 47 may have equal magnetic poles. Accordingly, the tub 2 provided in the present invention may be supported within the cabinet 1 by repulsive force between the upper piston 42 magnetized by the upper coil 44 and the lower piston 45 magnetized by the lower coil 47.

In the case of the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the tub 2 may be configured separately from a vibration system, and therefore the tub support device 4 having the above-described configuration may not be essential. Accordingly, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1( b), the tub aperture 21 may be directly connected to the opening 11, and the tub support device 4 may serve not to absorb vibration of the tub 2, but to assist the outer circumferential surface of the tub 2 in being simply supported by the bottom surface of the cabinet 1.

The drive unit 6 is supported by a drive unit support device 71; 74; R; L provided at the outside of the tub 2. The drive unit 6 may include the rotating shaft 65 inserted through the tub through-hole 27 to thereby be coupled to the drum 3, a stator 63 fixed to the drive unit support device 7, and a rotor 61 coupled to the rotating shaft 65, the rotor 61 being rotated via electromagnetic interaction with the stator 63.

In this case, the diameter of the rotating shaft 65 may be less than the diameter of the tub through-hole 27.

The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing 71 to which the drive unit 6 is coupled, a housing receptacle 74 in which the bearing housing 71 is accommodated, and a housing support structure (a housing support portion) R, L to assist the bearing housing 71 in levitating by magnetic force within the housing receptacle 74.

The bearing housing 71 may include a housing body 711, to which the stator 63 is fixed, the housing body 711 being located at the rear surface of the tub 2, a housing through-hole 713 perforated in the housing body 711 such that the rotating shaft 65 is inserted into the bearing through-hole 713, and a bearing 715 inserted into the housing through-hole 711 to rotatably support the rotating shaft 65.

Accordingly, the rotating shaft 65 is inserted into the tub through-hole 27 and the bearing 715 to connect the drum 3 and the housing body 711 to each other, and the stator 63 is fixed to one surface of the housing body 711. As such, the drive unit 6 according to the present invention is connected to the drum 3 via the rotating shaft 65, but is not directly connected to the tub 2.

The housing receptacle 74 may have various shapes so long as it can accommodate the bearing housing 71. FIG. 1 shows one example of the housing receptacle 74 fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2.

The housing receptacle 74 includes a cylindrical receptacle body 741 fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2, and an accommodation space 743 defined in the receptacle body 741 such that the bearing housing 71 is accommodated in the accommodation space 743.

The housing body 711 and the accommodation space 743 may have the same shape. FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of the cylindrical housing body 711 and the cylindrical accommodation space 743, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the housing body 711.

The housing receptacle 74 may further have a receptacle through-hole 745 configured to communicate the accommodation space 743 with the outside of the accommodation space 743.

In this case, the diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be greater than the diameter of the rotor 61 of the drive unit 6. This serves to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the drive unit 6 in a state in which the drive unit 6 is accommodated in the housing receptacle 74.

Moreover, the diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be set to prevent the rotor 61 from colliding with the receptacle through-hole 745 even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3 (i.e. a displacement to cause the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3 to come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2) occurs.

The housing support structure R, L may serve not only to allow the bearing housing 71 to levitate within the housing receptacle 74 using magnetic force of magnetic units, but also to allow the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction within the housing receptacle 74.

That is, the housing support structure R, L may serve not only to assist the drum 3 in levitating within the tub 2 by attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units, but also to allow the drum 3 to be moved in a radial direction within the tub 2 (i.e. to allow the rotating shaft 65 to be moved in a radial direction within the tub through-hole 27).

The housing support structure may include a circumferential support structure (a circumferential support portion) R configured to levitate the bearing housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74 using repulsive force between the magnetic units, and an axial support structure (an axial support portion) L configured to levitate the bearing housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74 using attractive force between the magnetic units.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the circumferential support structure R may include a first magnetic unit 73 provided at an outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711, and a second magnetic unit 75 provided at an inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741 to exert repulsive force to the first magnetic unit 73.

The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may have various shapes so long as they may levitate the bearing housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74 using repulsive force. FIG. 2 shows one example in which the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 include permanent magnets each having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) and a second magnetic pole (S-pole).

Meanwhile, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may include permanent magnets in the form of a bar. In this case, the first magnetic unit 73 may be fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711, and the second magnetic unit 75 may be fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741.

Although not shown in the drawings, at least one of the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance.

That is, the first magnetic unit 73 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance throughout the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711.

Likewise, the second magnetic unit 75 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance throughout the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741.

Meanwhile, the second magnetic unit 75, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, may be located within the housing receptacle 74, but may be provided at the outside of the housing receptacle 74. In any case, the second magnetic unit 75 and the first magnetic unit 73 may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles face each other.

Moreover, the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention may further include a vibration attenuation unit 753 configured to prevent the second magnetic unit 75 from vibrating by magnetic force generated by the first magnetic unit 73 during movement of the bearing housing 71.

If the drum 3 vibrates, the bearing housing 71 vibrates. This vibration of the bearing housing 71 may cause the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 to be moved close to each other.

If a distance between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 is reduced, repulsive force (strength of magnetic force) between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 is increased, which may cause the tub 2 to vibrate along with the bearing housing 71, resulting in generation of noise.

However, in the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the second magnetic unit 75 is fixed in the accommodation space 743 by the vibration attenuation unit 753, which may prevent vibration of the bearing housing 71 from being transmitted to the tub 2.

The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be placed in the accommodation space 743 of the housing receptacle 74 and serve to support the second magnetic unit 75.

The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be formed of various materials suitable to elastically support the second magnetic unit 75.

Alternatively, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 4, the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention may further include magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755 to increase repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 5, it has been experimentally determined that if a metal (high permeability material), such as iron, is located at any one surface of an N-pole or an S-pole of the permanent magnet, magnetic force of the magnetic pole where no metal is located is increased.

More specifically, in the case of a bar-shaped permanent magnet, magnetic force of the magnet having an N-pole and an S-pole is within a range of 295 mT to 287 mT. On the other hand, if a metal is located at the S-pole, it could be confirmed that magnetic force of the N-pole is increased to 330 mT and magnetic force of the S-pole is reduced to 97 mT.

Although the increase rate of magnetic force of the N-pole is less than the increase rate of magnetic force in the case in which two magnets are stacked one above another, it could be confirmed that the above-described method is useful to increase magnetic force of the N-pole of the single magnet.

On the other hand, in the case of a cylindrical magnet, if a metal is located at an S-pole thereof, it could be confirmed that magnetic force of an N-pole is increased from 463 mT to 500 mT and magnetic force of the S-pole is reduced from 462 mT to 245 mT.

Accordingly, the magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755 of FIG. 4 serve to increase repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 based on the phenomenon as confirmed in FIG. 5.

The magnetic force amplification units may include a first magnetic force amplification unit 735 provided at the first magnetic unit 73 and a second magnetic force amplification unit 755 provided at the second magnetic unit 75.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 4( a), the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be a metal attached to the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711 to support the first magnetic unit 73, and the second magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be a metal attached to the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741 to support the second magnetic unit 75.

With the above-described configuration, magnetic force of an N-pole 731 of the first magnetic unit 73 as well as magnetic force of an N-pole 751 of the second magnetic unit 75 will be increased. This may ensure that the drum 3 according to the present invention is more stably maintained at a levitated position within the tub 2.

Moreover, since magnetic force of an S-pole 732 of the first magnetic unit 73 as well as magnetic force of an S-pole 752 of the second magnetic unit 75 will be reduced by the magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755, the magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755 may serve to prevent malfunction of electronic devices within the clothes treatment apparatus 100 owing to the magnetic force provided by the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.

The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may have the shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 4( b).

More specifically, the first magnetic unit 73 may be inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711, and the second magnetic unit 75 may be inserted into the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741. This serves to minimize a distance between the receptacle body 741 and the housing body 711, thereby minimizing increase in the volume of the drive unit support device (i.e. the volume of the clothes treatment apparatus 100).

In this case, the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be inserted into the housing body 711 to support the first magnetic unit 73, and the second magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be inserted into the receptacle body 741 to support the second magnetic unit 75.

As described above, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 is configured in such a manner that the bearing housing 71 levitates within the housing receptacle 74 by repulsive force between the N-poles 731 and 751 of the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 (in other words, in such a manner that the drum 3 levitates within the tub 2). However, it will be appreciated that the bearing housing 71 may levitate within the housing receptacle 74 by repulsive force between the S-poles 732 and 752 of the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R includes both the vibration attenuation unit 753 and the magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755.

In the present embodiment, the second magnetic unit 75 includes the vibration attenuation unit 753 and the second magnetic force amplification unit 755, which are sequentially stacked from the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741, whereas the first magnetic unit 73 may include only the first magnetic force amplification unit 735.

In this case, the vibration attenuation unit 753 may be fixed in the accommodation space 743 and serve to support the second magnetic force amplification unit 755 and the second magnetic unit 75.

Alternatively, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 6, the first magnetic unit 73 may include a vibration attenuation unit and the first magnetic force amplification unit 735. In this case, the vibration attenuation unit may be fixed to the housing body 711, and in turn the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be fixed to the vibration attenuation unit to support the first magnetic unit 73.

Next, the axial support structure L included in the housing support structure, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, may include a third magnetic unit 77 provided at the bearing housing 71, a fourth magnetic unit 78 provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit 77, and a spacer 79 to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the bearing housing 71.

Each of the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a permanent magnet having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) 771 or 781 and a second magnetic pole (S-pole) 772 or 782.

The third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 are respectively provided at the bearing housing 71 and the rear surface of the tub 2 such that opposing magnetic poles face each other. Accordingly, even if the bearing housing 71 vibrates within the housing receptacle 74 by vibration of the drum 3, the bearing housing 71 may be maintained at a constant position by attractive force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.

The third magnetic unit 77 may be a circumferential permanent magnet, the center of which is equal to the center of the housing through-hole 713, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a circumferential permanent magnet, the center of which is equal to the center of the tub through-hole 27.

At least one of the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance.

For example, the third magnetic unit 77, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, may include a plurality of permanent magnets, which are inserted into the housing body 771 and are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may include a ring-shaped permanent magnet fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2, the diameter of the fourth magnetic unit 78 being greater than the diameter of the tub through-hole 27.

In this case, the plurality of permanent magnets constituting the third magnetic unit 77 may be fixed to the housing body 711 and be arranged in a circumferential direction of the fourth magnetic unit 78.

In addition, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the present invention may further include a third magnetic force amplification unit 775 fixed to the housing body 711 to support the third magnetic unit 77, and a fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2 to support the fourth magnetic unit 78.

Functions and constituent materials of the third magnetic force amplification unit 775 and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 may be equal to those of the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 and the second magnetic force amplification unit 755, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The third magnetic unit 77 may be inserted into a surface of the housing body 711, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2. This serves to minimize a distance between the housing body 711 and the rear surface of the tub 2, thereby minimizing increase in the volume of the clothes treatment apparatus 100.

In this case, the third magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be inserted into the housing body 711 to support the third magnetic unit 77, and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 may be inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2 to support the fourth magnetic unit 78.

If the axial support structure L includes only the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78, it may be difficult to prevent the bearing housing 71 from interfering rotation of the drum 3 because the bearing housing 71 comes into contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.

The spacer 79 serves to solve the aforementioned problem.

The spacer 79 may have various shapes so long as it may be provided at any one of the rear surface of the tub 2 and the housing body 711 and allow the housing body 711 to be moved in a radial direction about the tub through-hole 27.

That is, the spacer 79 may be formed of fiber (e.g., non-woven fabric) containing lubricant oil, and may take the form of a ball slider as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3.

The ball slider as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3 may include a fixing body 791 fixed to the housing body 711 and a ball 793 rotatably provided at the fixing body 791 so as to come into contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.

Alternatively, the fixing body 791 may be fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2, and the ball 793 may come into contact with the housing body 711.

The clothes treatment apparatus 100 having the above-described configuration may prevent or minimize vibration of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2 even if the drum 3 rotated by the drive unit 6 vibrates within the tub 2.

Referring to FIG. 7, the circumferential support structure R tends to increase repulsive force as vibration of the drum 3 is increased (in other words, a distance between the bottom of the receptacle body 741 and the bottom of the housing body 711 is reduced if the top of the receptacle body 741 and the top of the housing body 711 is increased), and the axial support structure L tends to reduce attractive force as vibration of the drum 3 is increased.

Accordingly, magnetic force of the magnetic units 73 and 75 of the circumferential support structure R and magnetic force of the magnetic units 77 and 78 of the axial support structure L may be set to keep the constant sum of repulsive force applied to the bearing housing 71 by the circumferential support structure R and attractive force applied to the bearing housing 71 by the axial support structure L.

In this case, if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 7( a), the sum of repulsive force provided by the circumferential support structure R and attractive force provided by the axial support structure L may be kept constant. Therefore, the housing support structure R; L according to the present invention may prevent or minimize vibration of the drum 3 within the tub 2 even if external force is applied to the drum 3.

Accordingly, the present invention may provide the clothes treatment apparatus 100 to reduce vibration and noise generated during rotation of the drum 3.

In addition, the present invention may realize a maximized volume (i.e. maximized washing capacity) of the tub 2 that is located within the cabinet 1 providing a limited space because vibration of the drum 3 is not transmitted to the tub 2.

In the case of the above-described conventional clothes treatment apparatus, it is essential to provide a space between the tub and the cabinet for preventing collision between the tub and the cabinet during rotation of the drum. On the other hand, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to the present invention may minimize vibration of the tub 2 or may separate the tub 2 from a vibration system owing to the above-described configuration, which may result in a maximized volume of the tub 2 located within the cabinet 1 having a predetermined volume.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

As compared to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has a feature in that the bearing configured to support the rotating shaft 65 is a magnetic bearing 72.

Accordingly, hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with regard to a configuration of the magnetic bearing 72.

The magnetic bearing 72 serves to rotatably support the rotating shaft 65 penetrating the bearing housing 71 using repulsive force between the magnetic units.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 9( a), the magnetic bearing 72 may include a rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 attached to an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65, and a housing magnetic unit 721 inserted in the housing through-hole 713 to exert repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723.

The rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 may be a permanent magnet having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) 7231 and a second magnetic pole (S-pole) 7232, the permanent magnet being fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65. In this case, the housing magnetic unit 721 may be a permanent magnet having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) 7211 and a second magnetic pole (S-pole) 7212, the permanent magnet being inserted into the housing through-hole 713.

Although FIG. 9( a) shows the magnetic bearing 72 to support the rotating shaft 65 using repulsive force between the permanent magnets, the magnetic bearing 72 may be configured to support the rotating shaft 65 using attractive force between the magnetic units in the form of the permanent magnets.

In a state in which the rotating shaft 65 is supported by the bearing housing 71 with the magnetic bearing 72 interposed therebetween, high-speed rotation of the drum 3 is possible as compared to the case in which the rotating shaft 65 is supported by a ball bearing. Moreover, it is possible to minimize vibration generated during rotation of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the bearing housing 71.

Alternatively, the magnetic bearing 72 may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 9( b). The magnetic bearing 72 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 9( b) has a feature of more stably supporting the rotating shaft 65.

Referring to FIG. 9( b), the housing through-hole 713 is defined by a first slope 7131, the diameter of which is increased with decreasing distance toward the rear surface of the tub 2, a second slope 7133, the diameter of which is increased with increasing distance from the rear surface of the tub 2, and a connecting portion 7134 connecting the first slope 7131 and the second slope 7133 to each other, the connecting portion 7134 having a constant diameter.

In this case, the housing magnetic unit 721 may be provided at each of the first slope 7131 and the second slope 7133.

The rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 may include a permanent magnet attached to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65 and having an inclination angle corresponding to the first slope 7131, and a permanent magnet attached to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65 and having an inclination angle corresponding to the second slope 7133.

In the case of the housing magnetic unit 721 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 9( b), the size of the first magnetic pole 7211 that exerts repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 is less than the size of the second magnetic pole 7212. Accordingly, to increase the repulsive force between the housing magnetic unit 721 and the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723, the housing magnetic unit 721 may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 10.

That is, the housing magnetic unit 721 may have a first accommodation recess 7135 indented in the first slope 7131, and a second accommodation recess 7137 indented in the second slope 7133.

The first accommodation recess 7135 is indented in a direction perpendicular to the first slope 7131, and the second accommodation recess 7137 is indented in a direction perpendicular to the second slope 7133. With this configuration, the housing magnetic unit 721 inserted into each of the accommodation recesses 7135 and 7137 may exert greater repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 because the size of the first magnetic pole 7211 is greater than the size of the second magnetic pole 7212.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention. The clothes treatment apparatus of the present embodiment, designated by reference numeral 200, includes the cabinet 1 defining an external appearance of the apparatus 200, the tub 2 placed within the cabinet 1, the tub 2 being configured to store wash water therein, the drum 3 rotatably placed within the tub 2, and the drive unit 6 to rotate the drum 3.

The cabinet 1, the tub 2, the drum 3, and the drive unit 6 according to the present embodiment are equal to those of the above-described embodiment of FIG. 1, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Although FIG. 11 shows the tub support device 4 to control vibration of the tub 2 using magnetic repulsive force, the tub support device 4 may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1( b).

Likewise, the clothes treatment apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment includes the drive unit support device 71; 74; R; L, which allows the drive unit 6 to be moved in a radial direction about the tub through-hole 27 using repulsive force or attractive force between the magnetic units.

The drive unit support device may include the bearing housing 71 spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a predetermined distance, the stator 63 being fixed to the bearing housing 71, the housing receptacle 74 defining the accommodation space 743 in which the bearing housing 71 is accommodated, and the housing support structure (the housing support portion) R; L that allows the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction within the accommodation space 743, thereby enabling radial movement of the drum 3 and the drive unit 6.

The bearing housing 71 may include the housing body 711 spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a predetermined distance, and the housing through-hole 713 perforated in the housing body 711 such that the rotating shaft 65 is inserted into the housing through-hole 713.

The housing body 711 is not fixed within the cabinet 1, but is provided at the outside of the tub 2 so as to be moved along with the drum 3 during vibration of the drum 3. The stator 63 of the drive unit 6 is fixed to one surface of the housing body 711, and the spacer 79 is fixed to the other surface of the housing body 711.

The spacer 79 serves to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the bearing housing 71.

The bearing 715 may be inserted in the housing through-hole 713. The rotating shaft 65 inserted in the housing through-hole 713 is rotatably supported by the bearing 715.

The housing receptacle 74 includes the receptacle body 741 spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a predetermined distance, the receptacle body 741 defining the accommodation space 743. The receptacle body 741 may have the receptacle through-hole 745.

The diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be greater than the diameter of the rotor 61. This serves to facilitate assembly or disassembly of the drive unit 6.

The diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be greater than the maximum amplitude of the rotor 61 that vibrates along with the drum 3 during rotation of the drum 3.

The housing support structure may include the circumferential support structure (the circumferential support portion) R to levitate the drum 3 within the tub 2, and the axial support structure (the axial support portion) L to support the housing body 711 so as to allow the drive unit 6 to be moved in a radial direction about the tub through-hole 27.

The circumferential support structure R levitates the drum 3 within the tub 2 using repulsive force between the magnetic unit provided at the tub 2 and the magnetic unit provided at the drum 3.

That is, the circumferential support structure R may include the first magnetic unit 73 provided at the circumferential surface of the tub 2 and the second magnetic unit 75 provided at the circumferential surface of the drum 3.

The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may be permanent magnets. The first magnetic unit 73 may be a permanent magnet having an N-pole and an S-pole, which may be provided at an inner circumferential surface (T1, see FIG. 12) or an outer circumferential surface TO of the tub 2. The second magnetic unit 75 may be a permanent magnet having an N-pole and an S-pole, which may be provided at an outer circumferential surface DO or an inner circumferential surface D1 of the drum 3.

In this case, the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles face each other to allow the drum 3 to levitate by repulsive force between the two permanent magnets.

If the first magnetic unit 73, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 12, is discontinuously provided at the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2, the second magnetic unit 75 may be continuously provided at the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3.

Alternatively, if the first magnetic unit 73 is continuously provided at the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical tub 2, the second magnetic unit 75 may be discontinuously provided at the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3.

In the case in which the first magnetic unit 73 is discontinuously provided at the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2, the first magnetic unit 73 may include a plurality of button-shaped (cylindrical) permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance at the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2.

The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 according to the present invention may have a configuration as exemplarily shown in FIGS. 13 to 15.

First, referring to FIG. 13, the first magnetic unit 73 may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the tub 2 (FIG. 13( a)), may be attached to the inner circumferential surface of the tub (FIG. 13( b)), or may be inserted into the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 (FIG. 13( c)).

In this case, although the second magnetic unit 75 may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3, this is not intended to eliminate the case in which the second magnetic unit 75 is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 3, or the case in which the second magnetic unit 75 is inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3.

In any case, the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles face each other.

Likewise, the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention may further include the vibration attenuation unit 753.

The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be attached to the first magnetic unit 73 so as to be located between the cabinet 1 and the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 13( a), or may be attached to the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 so as to support the first magnetic unit 73 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 13( b).

In the case in which the first magnetic unit 73 is inserted into and fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 13( c), the tub 2 may have an insertion recess 25 indented in the inner circumferential surface thereof for insertion of the first magnetic unit 73, and the vibration attenuation unit 753 may be located in the insertion recess 25 so as to support the first magnetic unit 73.

The clothes treatment apparatus 200 according to the present invention may minimize transmission of vibration from the drum 3 to the tub 2 owing to the vibration attenuation unit 753 interposed between the tub 2 and the drum 3 (FIGS. 13( b) and 13(c)).

If the vibration attenuation unit 753 is interposed between the cabinet 1 and the tub 2 (FIG. 13( a)), the vibration attenuation unit 753 may serve to reduce noise and vibration caused when the tub 2 collides with the cabinet 1.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R may further include a magnetic force amplification unit.

As exemplarily shown in FIG. 14( a), the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be fixed to the first magnetic unit 73 so as to be located between the cabinet 1 and the tub 2, and the second magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be located between the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3 and the second magnetic unit 75.

The above-described configuration may increase the magnetic force of the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 731 of the first magnetic unit 73 and the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 751 of the second magnetic unit 75. As a result, the drum 3 according to the present invention may be more stably maintained at a levitated position within the tub 2.

The second magnetic force amplification unit 755 reduces magnetic force to be applied to the interior of the drum 3, which may prevent any magnetic substances present in laundry from coming into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the drum 3.

The magnetic force amplification unit may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 14( b) or FIG. 14( c).

More specifically, the second magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3 to support the second magnetic unit 75. The first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be attached to the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 to support the first magnetic unit 73, or may be located in the insertion recess 25 to support the first magnetic unit 73.

Although the above-described circumferential support structure R is configured to levitate the drum 3 within the tub 2 by repulsive force between the N-poles of the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75, the drum 3 may levitate within the tub 2 by repulsive force between the S-poles.

FIG. 15 shows a further embodiment of the circumferential support structure R according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R may include the vibration attenuation unit 753 as well as both the magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755.

Although FIG. 15 shows the case in which only the first magnetic unit 73 includes the magnetic force amplification unit 735 and the vibration attenuation unit 753, the second magnetic unit 75 may include both the magnetic force amplification unit 755 and a vibration attenuation unit.

The axial support structure L serves to allow the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub 2 by attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show one example in which the axial support structure L includes the third magnetic unit 77 provided at the housing body 711 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit 77.

In this case, the third magnetic unit 77 may be a permanent magnet having the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 771 and the second magnetic pole (S-pole) 772, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a permanent magnet having the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 781 and the second magnetic pole (S-pole) 782.

In this case, the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a disc-shaped or ring-shaped permanent magnet, and the third magnetic unit 77 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance.

More specifically, the plurality of permanent magnets constituting the third magnetic unit 77 may be fixed to the housing body 711 so as to define the same circumference as a circumference C of the fourth magnetic unit 78 (see FIG. 16).

Referring to FIG. 17, the third magnetic unit 77 may be inserted into the housing body 711, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2. Minimizing a distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the housing body 711 may serve to prevent increase in the volume of the cabinet 1.

The spacer 79 may take the form of a ball slider provided at the housing body 711 or the rear surface of the tub 2. The ball slider may include the fixing body 791 fixed to the housing body 711 and the ball 793 rotatably coupled to the fixing body 791 so as to come into contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.

Moreover, the drive unit support device may further include the third magnetic force amplification unit 775 and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 to increase attractive force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.

The third magnetic force amplification unit 775 may be provided at the housing body 711 to support the third magnetic unit 77, and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 may be provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 to support the fourth magnetic unit 78.

If the housing receptacle 74 is provided within the cabinet 1 to more stably support the bearing housing 71, the spacer may include a first spacer 79 to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the housing body 711 and a second spacer 792 to maintain a distance between the housing body 711 and the housing receptacle 74.

Moreover, the housing body 711 may be provided with a fifth magnetic unit A and a fifth magnetic force amplification unit (not shown), and the housing receptacle 74 may be provided with a sixth magnetic unit B to exert attractive force to the fifth magnetic unit A and a sixth magnetic force amplification unit (not shown).

The clothes treatment apparatus 200 having the above-described configuration may minimize transmission of vibration from the drum 3 to the tub 2 owing to the circumferential support structure R and the axial support structure L.

Referring to FIG. 11, the drum 3 is maintained at a levitated position within the tub 2 by the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75. The drive unit 6, which is fixed to the bearing housing 71 and connected to the drum 3 via the rotating shaft 65, is maintained at a levitated position within the cabinet 1 (in the accommodation space 743) by the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.

If the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2 (in other words, if the drum 3 is moved in a height direction or a width direction of the tub 2), it is possible to prevent the drum 3 from colliding with the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 by repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.

If the drum 3 vibrates, the drive unit 6 vibrates along with the drum 3 because the rotating shaft 65 of the drive unit 6 is connected to the drum 3.

However, the bearing housing 71 may maintain a constant height from the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 by attractive force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.

Accordingly, the drive unit 6 according to the present invention may maintain a constant distance from the rear surface of the tub 2 by the spacer 79 even if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2, and may maintain a constant height from the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 by the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.

In conclusion, the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention is configured in such a manner that attractive force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 as well as repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 compensate for vibration generated by the drum 3.

The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 and the diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 according to the present invention are set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 and the rotor 61 from colliding with the tub through-hole 27 and the receptacle through-hole 745 respectively even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3 (i.e. displacement causing collision between the drum 3 and the tub 2) occurs. In this way, it is possible to prevent vibration of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2 by the rotating shaft 65 even if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2.

Accordingly, the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention may achieve reduced vibration and noise because vibration generated during rotation of the drum 3 is not transmitted to the tub 2 through the rotating shaft 65.

In addition, the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention may minimize vibration of the tub 2, which allows maximization of the volume of the tub 2 placed within the cabinet 1 (i.e. maximized washing capacity) without increasing the volume of the cabinet 1.

FIG. 18 shows a further embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention. The present embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG. 11 in terms of a configuration of the drive unit support device.

Thus, the following description of the present embodiment will be centered on the drive unit support device different from that of the above-described embodiment of FIG. 11.

The drive unit support device according to the present embodiment includes the bearing housing 71 provided at the outside of the tub 2 and configured to support the drive unit 6, and a slider unit 76; 77; 78 configured to fix the bearing housing 71 to the rear surface of the tub 2 while allowing the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub 2.

The slider unit may include a slider body 76 located between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the bearing housing 71, a first guider 77 configured to fix the slider body 76 to the rear surface of the tub 2, the first guider 77 serving to assist the slider body 76 in reciprocating in a first direction (any one direction among a width direction and a height direction of the tub 2), and a second guider 78 configured to fix the bearing housing 71 to the slider body 76, the second guider 78 serving to assist the bearing housing 71 in reciprocating in a second direction (the other direction among the width direction and the height direction of the tub 2).

The slider body 76 has a body through-hole 761, the diameter of the body through-hole 761 being greater than the diameter of the rotating shaft 65. Moreover, the diameter of the body through-hole 761 may be set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 from colliding with the body through-hole 761 even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3 occurs.

The first guider 77 may include a first rail 771 provided at any one of the slider body 76 and the rear surface of the tub 2, and a first rail groove 773 formed in the other one of the slider body 76 and the rear surface of the tub 2 such that the first rail 771 is accommodated in the first rail groove 773.

In this case, the first rail 771 may be provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 so as to extend in a width direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18, or may be provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 so as to extend in a height direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 19.

The second guider 78 may include a second rail 781 provided at any one of the slider body 76 and the bearing housing 71, and a second rail groove 783 formed in the other one of the slider body 76 and the bearing housing 71 such that the second rail 781 is accommodated in the second rail groove 783.

In this case, the second rail 781 may have a predetermined inclination with respect to the first rail 771. FIGS. 18 and 19 show one example in which the first rail 771 and the second rail 781 intersect each other at a right angle.

In the case in which the first rail 771 extends in the width direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18, the slider body 76 is supported by the first rail 771 inserted in the first rail groove 773, which prevents the slider body 76 from being moved toward the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 (i.e. moved downward of the tub 2).

In addition, since the bearing housing 71 is supported by the drum 3 via the rotating shaft 65 connected to the drum 3, it is possible to prevent the bearing housing 71 from being moved toward the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 owing to the circumferential support structure (the circumferential support portion) R.

Alternatively, in the case in which the first rail 771 extends in the height direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 19, the bearing housing 71, which is connected to the drum 3 via the rotating shaft 65, is maintained at a constant position owing to the circumferential support structure R. Consequently, the slider body 76, which is connected to the bearing housing 71 via the second guider 78, may be kept at a constant position despite gravity.

It will be appreciated that the first rail 771 arranged in the width direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18 may function to support the weight of the slider body 76, and therefore the circumferential support structure R that exerts low magnetic force may sufficiently support the drum 3 and the bearing housing 71.

Alternatively, the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention may further include a rear gasket (29, see FIG. 19) configured to connect the rear surface of the tub 2 to the bearing housing 71 or the slider body 76.

The tub through-hole 27 for insertion of the rotating shaft 65 is perforated in the rear surface of the tub 2. Accordingly, the rear gasket 29 may serve not only to prevent wash water stored in the tub 2 from leaking through the tub through-hole 27, but also to maintain a constant position of the drive unit support device provided at the rear surface of the tub 2.

The above-described first rail 771 and second rail 781, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 20, may take the form of a cylindrical bar.

In the clothes treatment apparatus having the above-described configuration, the drum 3 remains levitated within the tub 2 by the circumferential support structure R, whereas the drive unit 6 fixed to the bearing housing 71 remains fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2 by the slider unit.

Accordingly, even if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2 (in other words, if the drum 3 is moved in a width direction or a height direction of the tub 2), it is possible to prevent the drum 3 from colliding with the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 by repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.

Meanwhile, if the drum 3 vibrates in a height direction of the tub 2, the bearing housing 71 may be moved in the height direction of the tub 2 by any one of the first guider 77 or the second guider 78. If the drum 3 vibrates in a width direction of the tub 2, the bearing housing 71 may be moved in the width direction of the tub 2 by the other one of the first guider 77 or the second guider 78.

The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 and the diameter of the body through-hole 761 may be set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 from colliding with the tub through-hole 27 and the body through-hole 761 respectively even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3 (i.e. a displacement to cause collision between the drum 3 and the tub 2) occurs. As such, the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present invention may prevent vibration generated during rotation of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2 through the rotating shaft 65.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

MODE FOR INVENTION

As described above, a related description has sufficiently been discussed in the above “Best Mode” for implementation of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention may be wholly or partially applied to a clothes treatment apparatus. 

1. A clothes treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet having an opening for insertion or removal of laundry; a tub having a tub aperture perforated in a front surface of the tub to communicate with the opening and a tub through-hole perforated in a rear surface of the tub; a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum being configured to store laundry therein and having a drum aperture communicating with the tub aperture; a drive unit having a rotating shaft inserted into the tub through-hole to thereby be connected to the drum, the rotating shaft being movable in a radial direction inside the tub through-hole; and a drive unit support device configured to support the drive unit such that the drive unit is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit support device supports the drive unit using at least any one of attractive force or repulsive force between magnetic units, thereby allowing the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted; a housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated; a first magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing; and a second magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space to exert repulsive force to the first magnetic unit.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the bearing housing has a cylindrical shape, wherein the accommodation space has a cylindrical shape such that the bearing housing is accommodated in the accommodation space, wherein the first magnetic unit includes a bar-shaped permanent magnet provided at the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, and wherein the second magnetic unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance at the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a first magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, the first magnetic force amplification unit being configured to support the first magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the first magnetic unit; and a second magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space, the second magnetic force amplification unit being configured to support the second magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the second magnetic unit.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a vibration attenuation unit fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defming the accommodation space, the vibration attenuation unit being configured to elastically support the second magnetic unit and the second magnetic force amplification unit.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing; and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted; a housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated; a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing; a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing along the circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to the center of the housing through-hole; and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub along the circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to the center of the tub through-hole, to exert repulsive force to the third magnetic unit.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a magnetic bearing configured to rotatably support the rotating shaft inside the housing through-hole using repulsive force between the magnetic units, wherein the magnetic bearing includes: a rotating shaft magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft; and a housing magnetic unit inserted in the housing through-hole to exert repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing housing; a circumferential support portion provided within the tub to allow the drum in being moved in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force between the magnetic units; and an axial support portion provided at the outside of the tub to allow the bearing housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub via attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the circumferential support portion includes: a first magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface of the tub; and a second magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of the drum so as to receive repulsive force from the first magnetic unit.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the axial support portion includes: a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing; a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing; and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a housing receptacle spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by a predetermined distance, the housing receptacle providing a space in which the bearing housing is accommodated, wherein the spacer includes: a first spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the rear surface of the tub; and a second spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the housing receptacle.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the bearing housing includes a housing body spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by a predetermined distance such that the spacer is fixed to the housing body, and a housing through-hole perforated in the housing body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the housing through-hole, and wherein the drive unit includes a stator fixed to the housing body and a rotor, to which the rotating shaft is coupled, the rotor being rotated by electromagnetic interaction with the stator.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the drive unit support device further includes a magnetic force amplification unit configured to increase attractive force between the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit, and wherein the magnetic force amplification unit includes a metal provided at the bearing housing such that the third magnetic unit is fixed to the metal, and a metal provided at the rear surface of the tub such that the fourth magnetic unit is fixed to the metal.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein any one of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit includes a ring-shaped permanent magnet, and wherein the other one of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance so as to define the same circumference as a circumference of the ring-shaped permanent magnet.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit support device includes: a circumferential support portion provided within the tub to allow the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force between magnetic units; and a slider unit provided at the outside of the tub to couple the bearing housing, to which the drive unit is fixed, to the rear surface of the tub while allowing the bearing housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub.
 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the slider unit includes: a slider body provided between the bearing housing and the rear surface of the tub; a body through-hole perforated in the slider body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the body through-hole, a diameter of the body through-hole being greater than a diameter of the rotating shaft; a first guider configured to couple the slider body to the rear surface of the tub such that the slider body is reciprocally movable in any one direction of a width direction and a height direction of the tub; and a second guider configured to couple the bearing housing to the slider body such that the bearing housing is reciprocally movable in the other direction of the width direction and the height direction of the tub.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a rear gasket configured to connect the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing to each other. 